Engaging students for success, from orientation through graduation FY2013 ANNUAL REPORT FY2013 ANNUAL REPORT Engaging students for success, from orientation through graduation MISSION UIC Student Affairs enhances learning and development through programs, services, and facilities that engage students in a dynamic and diverse campus community and foster lifelong success to the benefit of society. VISION We will be leaders in providing exemplary programs, services and facilities that engage students in the campus and surrounding communities and contribute to student success for active participation in a diverse global society. INSIDE Message from the Vice Chancellor . 1 Student Affairs Departments . 2 The UIC Experience . 3 OVCSA by the Numbers . 4 Unit Accomplishment Highlights . 6 External Recognition . 9 Assessment of Student Learning and Success . 10 Student Success through Retention . 12 Intercollegiate Athletics . 13 Donor Honor Roll . 15 S.E.E. Benefit . 17 MESSAGE FROM THE VICE CHANCELLOR On behalf of my Student Affairs colleagues and our students, I am pleased to share the Fiscal Year 2013 Annual Report for the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (OVCSA). Through this report the scope of our ongoing intentional educational efforts to engage students for success, from orientation through graduation is reported for the timeframe between July 2012 and June of 2013. This annual report will provide a year in review, through highlights and accomplishments of our individual units within OVCSA and Athletics, as well as demonstrate our commitment to measuring student satisfaction, impact, and contributions to student learning, and ultimately thank our many supporters of the OVCSA and UIC students. Through implementing the OVCSA mission and vision, we directly support the overall mission of UIC and the Chancellor’s goals for the university. Student success in terms of student retention and graduation is a primary goal for UIC and is guiding much of the collective work across the institution, as well as in the OVCSA. Through an Academic Affairs and Student Affairs partnership the Undergraduate Student Success Plan was completed and the planning process and Task Forces were launched in February 2013 where six of the eight Task Forces were cochaired by an OVCSA staff member, and over 50 Student Affairs staff members participated on most of the task forces. Each summer, we welcome students to campus through orientation programs to assist with their academic and social transition to college while helping position the students to successfully navigate the institution and its many resources. We offer programs to help connect students with one another, as well as faculty and staff through a vibrant campus life. Through our programs and services, we help foster students’ understanding of the many opportunities afforded them both on campus and in the City of Chicago, as well as build their affinity to UIC. Also we celebrate the milestone achievement of both students and their families through commencement ceremonies each spring. This report represents how the OVCSA in its entirety intentionally engages our students between those two academic bookends, orientation and graduation, by providing The UIC Experience to enhance their overall educational experience at our urban, research university. These achievements and our work would not be possible without the generous contributions that our loyal supporters of the OVCSA make to alleviate financial barriers that many students face during their pursuit of a college education. The OVCSA’s annual giving program enables alumni, colleagues, and friends to join us in fostering student success at UIC through support of various student scholarships, especially the Supporting Excellence Endowment (S.E.E.) Fund, as well as key programs and services provided for UIC students. Our accomplishments highlighted in this report and the success of our students would not be possible without your ongoing and generous support for which I sincerely thank you on behalf of our outstanding UIC students! Barbara Henley Vice Chancellor FY2013 ANNUAL REPORT 1 OVCSA DEPARTMENTS Engaging students for success, from orientation through graduation Academic Center for Excellence African American Academic Network Campus Auxiliary Services Campus Housing Children’s Center Counseling Center CAMPUS RECREATION KICK OFF Educational Opportunity Outreach/ TRIO Programs Intercollegiate Athletics Meetings, Conferences, and Dining Services Office of Student Financial Aid Native American Support Program Office of Testing Services Office of Career Services Office of the Dean of Students Student Employment Judicial Affairs Ombuds Services Office of International Services Student Legal Services Office of Publications Services Veterans Affairs Retail Operations Student Centers Campus Programs Campus Recreation UIC Forum Student Development Services Leadership and Volunteer Services Orientation Wellness Center UIC Pavilion CAMPUS HOUSING MOVE IN 2 FY2013 ANNUAL REPORT THE UIC EXPERIENCE PYRO PADDLERS “I am enthusiastic and honored to receive this award [The UIC Experience Certificate]. Thank you for recognizing my efforts and involvement in such a magnificent way.” The UIC Experience is a cocurricular opportunity that focuses demographically, 28% lived in on campus housing and on three unique characteristics of the University of Illinois at 72% were commuter students. Chicago: Urban Exploration (U), Inquiring Minds (I), and Community (C). Students engage in activities from the three The top three colleges in terms of student participation in key areas and document what they have learned in order to The UIC Experience program for 2013 were Liberal Arts earn The UIC Experience Certificate each year. Some of the and Sciences, the Graduate College, and Engineering. Use sample activities in which students were engaged in 2012 –13 of the program by graduate students increased this year include the Pyro Paddlers dragon boat racing team in China compared to last year. In 2012, only 0.5% of the Town (Urban Exploration), the Summer Institute on participants were graduate students, whereas this year 13% Sustainability and Energy (Inquiring Minds), and Spark in the of the participants were graduate students. Park (Community). Every participant documented what was learned from their experiences in The UIC Experience program. The “I really enjoyed the whole process. I top four items reported related to learning were started out wanting to complete the networking skills (18% of responses), social interaction certificate, but throughout I began to really skills (18% of responses), public speaking skills (14% of enjoy attending the various events. I responses), and learning about a new culture (14% of responses). Additionally, students frequently gave detail commute and would not have been able to when articulating the leadership skills (12% of responses) attend these events otherwise.” they learned. Examples of leadership skills learned were: optimism, patience, confidence, building community, listening, coaching, motivating others, delegation, time The UIC Experience program was established in 2009 and management, and running effective meetings. in its inaugural year recognized 204 students with certificates. Since then the number of students who have In January the OVCSA hired the first Director of The earned The UIC Experience Certificate has grown each UIC Experience to expand the program campus-wide year and in the spring of 2013, 1,366 students earned The and to create a themed series of experiences for the UIC Experience Certificate, which represents a 9% 2013-14 academic year. Students will also be offered increase over the previous year. heightened levels of experiences and will be able to submit Learning Projects. In preparation for next year’s Of the students who earned The UIC Experience Certificate in program, online documentation software was tested for 2013 and provided demographic information, 80% were The UIC Experience program with 175 student undergraduate upperclassmen. A large proportion of the employees who earned The UIC Experience Certificate students earning certificates also served as student in 2013. This online documentation software will be organization officers, which reflect matured student leadership available for all students for the 2013-2014 academic on campus. Of those who earned the certificate and responded year. FY2013 ANNUAL REPORT 3 OFFICE OF THE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR One of the ways in which the OVCSA measures the impact of our programs, services, and facilities is through tracking the magnitude of our points of contact with students over the course of the year. The following points of data showcase just a sample of the level of interaction our various OVCSA units and their staff have with students to provide them opportunities to engage on campus, obtain advocacy for their well-being, as well as support their learning STUDENT AMBASSADORS and academic endeavors. AND SPARKY Engaging students for success, from orientation through graduation STUDENT ENGAGEMENT attended 79 events at the UIC attended Career Fairs with 507 237,779 Pavilion (UIC athletic events, 3,660 employers and 1,228 students PEOPLE concerts, university and high school STUDENTS participated in career counseling commencements, non-UIC sporting through Career Services events, and other events) visited the Commuter Student entered Campus Recreation facilities 3,547 Resource Center 20,6 51 on campus and 16,183 people STUDENTS INDIVIDUALS participated